Seeds of controversy: Why India is split over implementing GM mustard

• Implementing Genetically Modified (GM) crops in India has faced severe opposition from environmentalists and certain scientists over the years due to unresolved environmental and health concerns.
• Bt cotton was the first Genetically Modified (GM) crop to be grown in India. Bt brinjal was approved for cultivation in 2009 but was put under a moratorium for 10 years, getting the nod for field trials for three years from 2020 in 8 states.
• On April 15, 2025, the Supreme Court of India will hear pleas filed by environmentalists against the commercial cultivation of GM Mustard in the country.
• This case is set for hearing after the top court’s verdict on July 23, 2024, questioning the validity of the centre’s decision for the environmental release of GM mustard.

WHAT IS DMH-11 OR GM MUSTARD?

• Genetically Modified (GM) crops are species whose DNA has been altered to produce a new variety with desired characteristics.
• GM mustard or DMH-11, developed by researchers at the Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, at the University of Delhi, is a hybrid
  variety of mustard produced by a cross between “Varuna” and “Early Heera-2” mustard.
• It has three new genes: barnase, barstar, and bar genes. The first two genes are isolated from the soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
• Since the mustard plant is self-pollinating, the barnase gene induces temporary male sterility, enabling cross-pollination and development of hybrid seeds.
• The barstar gene helps in the production of seeds, and the bar gene is inserted as herbicide-tolerant to Glufosinate.

WHY IS THE GM MUSTARD FACING THE RED FLAG?

• GM crops are said to cross-breed with closely related plants and create new varieties that can impact biodiversity, thus generating new types of weeds.
• “GM Mustard has all the risks that you can imagine. GM mustard is unsafe, unwanted, and unneeded. This is what we have been saying again and again,
• Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report, which was formed in 2012 by the Supreme Court. The committee report mentions the ban on Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops and their trial in India, for health, environmental, and economic reasons.

A FAILED HISTORY OF BT COTTON

• Even though Bt cotton was implemented as a solution to pink bollworms, in recent times, this has led to a drop in yields and an increase in pest attacks.
• As per the report released by the GM-Free Coalition of India in 2017, in the 15 years of Bt cotton in India, the impact of Bt cotton on the environment has been adverse. After its implementation, honey production stopped in the cotton fields. The farmers who used to collect 25 to 35 kilos of honey per bee hive were left with no honey in their fields. This occurred due to the reduction in nectar produced by the flowers of Bt cotton, which impacted the behaviour of honey bees.
• Bt cotton, which was introduced as a pest-resistant (pink bollworm) crop, is now being attacked by the same pink bollworms. To get rid of them, farmers are spraying pesticides, which has become an environmental concern again.
• Bt cotton is a failure. In an official affidavit filed by the government of India, they stated that Bt cotton has led to farmers’ suicide. It is an official admission of failure that the government has made in a court of law. After Bt cotton was approved in the past 20 years, yields have stagnated.
• Recently, the Centre increased the costs of Bt cotton seeds, despite a decline in yields and a rise in pest attacks.

IMPACT ON FARMERS

• When asked about the impact of GM crops on the debt of farmers, Deepak Pental, a Professor of Genetics ,University of Delhi and developer of GM mustard.
• “Wherever GM crops have been released, there is a 90-95% shift towards them, because they help to improve productivity. Farmers will take it up. They should trust the government to take it in their fields; if it works, they will take it up in no time,” 
• The invention and production of GM mustard will be in the hands of big companies. These companies will have the rights over the seeds manufactured, thus they will try to claim a patent.
• “Farmers and scientists have doubts about this. Once we depend on companies, they can increase the prices at their will. So, unless we have clarity on these crops and their impacts, implementing them won''t be a good solution. Finally, it should benefit farmers,” said Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

PROCEDURAL GAPS

• The Supreme Court, in its judgment on July 23, 2024, directed the centre to formulate a national policy on GM crops for research, cultivation, trade, and commerce in the country.
• Justice B V Nagaratna, who was with the bench handling the case of GM Mustard last year, observed that the GEAC approved GM Mustard based solely on foreign research, ignoring any indigenous studies on its effects and potential environmental ramifications.
• But activists highlight the procedural gaps and lapses throughout the decision-making process.
• India does not have statutory guidelines or protocols to assess herbicide-tolerant crops. GEAC had more or less outsourced its appraisal responsibility to a subcommittee, which is not legally tenable,”.
• “The biosafety dossier has not been put into the public domain. Public participation has not been enabled despite India’s international commitments to the Cartagena protocol,.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

• Experts say that before the implementation of GM mustard, the government must frame proper guidelines and ensure transparency in decision-making.
• "A lot of studies show that a lot of traditional seed varieties are nutritionally superior, stress-tolerant, and therefore, resilient. They are open-source and don’t have Intellectual Property issues. They are the solution, therefore not GM crops,” said Kavitha, mentioning the role of traditional seed varieties over GM seeds.
• Independent studies, public participation, and considering the recommendation of TEC are critical in this process. Above all, the policies should uphold the rights of farmers and safeguard them from the monopolistic control of seeds by the industries.

What is Hantavirus? Symptoms and Diagnosis

• Academy Award-winning American actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed away within days of one another. 
• Medical experts who conducted autopsies concluded that Hackman, 95, most likely passed away on February 18 from heart disease, with Alzheimer''s disease playing a role.
• A week or so before him, his 65-year-old wife most certainly passed away from a hantavirus infection, a rare disease that is frequently spread by rodents in the Southwest. 

 What is Hantavirus?

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS, is a rare viral illness that can harm your heart, lungs, and other organs, according to specialists. It can be quite deadly and progresses quickly.
• Inhaling, eating, drinking, or otherwise coming into touch with contaminated mouse or rat feces, drops or poop, urine, or saliva can result in HPS, according to doctors. Although hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is uncommon, since medical researchers started monitoring it in 1993, there have been about 1,000 cases of HPS reported in the US. 
• According to the CDC, HPS is widespread in the Western Hemisphere, which includes the US, but HFRS is primarily seen in Europe and Asia. All around New Mexico, hantaviruses have been discovered, mostly in deer mice but also in other rodents.

 Hantavirus or HPS: Symptoms

• Flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, chills, body pains, nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort, and a dry cough are typically the first signs of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
• Breathing issues may develop as the condition worsens. According to the CDC, early treatment is crucial because HPS kills about 4 out of 10 affected individuals.

In what ways does the Hantavirus infect your body?

• According to medical professionals, the hantavirus multiplies and spreads once it gets into your body. The infection weakens and leaks the muscles in your lungs. Breathing becomes challenging when blood fills the air sacs in your lungs. The virus weakens and leaks blood arteries in your heart and affects the heart muscle itself.
• A Your heart''s capacity to pump nutrients and oxygen-rich blood to your body''s cells and organs is impacted by weak, leaky blood vessels. Your body enters shock when there is insufficient blood flow to your cells and organs. You could rapidly suffer organ failure and pass away if your body enters shock.

Hantavirus that killed Gene Hackman''s wife: Health Officials statement

• Experts stress the importance of controlling the number of indoor mice as rodent activity rises, especially in areas like Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra in California. Homes should be sealed, food waste removed, and rodent nests or droppings should never be handled without protective gear.
• The severity of this sickness is underscored by its severe and life-threatening connection with Hantavirus. It also emphasizes how crucial cleanliness, attentiveness, and preventative steps are to preventing this silent killer.

How Supreme Court cleared 10 Bills using extraordinary powers

• The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticised Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for sitting over 10 Bills passed by the legislative Assembly, and took the rare step of clearing the Bills. The court used its extraordinary powers under Article 142, which allows it to deliver "complete justice".
• Article 142 of the Constitution gives the Supreme Court extraordinary powers. It was a rarely used legal provision earlier, but has come to be used more regularly in the last few years.
• On Tuesday, the two-judge bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan held the withholding of the bills as "illegal" and "liable to be set aside". The bench criticised the "pocket veto" used by Governor Ravi to delay the Bills.
• Clearing of Bills is primarily the function of the legislature and the executive organs of the government.
• The judges called the governor’s action a "roadblock", and by the powers vested in them by Article 142, they declared the 10 Bills as having received assent because of the "unduly long period of time for which these bills were kept pending by the Governor before the ultimate declaration of withholding of assent and in view of the scant respect shown by the governor" to the apex court’s previous decisions on similar matters.
• Justifying this as not being a case of judicial overreach, the bench stated that the governor "must act with due deference to the settled conventions of parliamentary democracy, respecting the will of the people being expressed through the legislature as well as the elected government responsible to the people".

WHAT IS ARTICLE 142 THAT SC USED IN TAMIL NADU CASE

• The otherwise rarely used Article 142 was used thrice in 2024.
• Most recently, this provision was used in October 2024 by the apex court by intervening to admit a Dalit youth in IIT Dhanbad after he missed the fee deadline.
• Earlier in April 2024, the SC used the provision to grant a divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act in a case where a marriage had irretrievably broken down even when one party opposed the divorce.
• In February, the SC used Article 142 to overturn the results of the mayoral election in Chandigarh where there was evidence of tampering with the fair electoral process.
• The SC''s use of Article 142 in the Chandigarh mayoral polls case was criticised by some as judicial overreach, who questioned the judiciary''s role in electoral processes.
• Article 142 of the Constitution :
•  The Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it, and any decree so passed or order so made shall be enforceable throughout the territory of India in such manner as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made, in such manner as the President may by order prescribe.

 IMPACT OF SUPREME COURT''S USE OF ARTICLE 142 IN TAMIL NADU CASE

• A decision by the Supreme Court was hailed as a victory for the democratic and federal system of the country by Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had earlier locked horns with former governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan, over a similar issue.
• "The Supreme Court, invoking Article 142, has rightly ordered assent to all 10 Bills stalled by the Governor, a clear message that Governors are not above democracy," he added.
• Through its judgment, the Supreme Court also declared that the Governor does not have the authority to sit indefinitely on Bills and must act within the framework laid out in Article 200 of the Constitution. The SC ruling will also redefine Centre-state equations.
•  It set a timeline for the reservation of Bills for the consideration of the President by the Governor as limited to a month except when it is withheld in contrary to the advice of the state council of ministers, the limit for which is three months.
• The Supreme Court''s judgment is a landmark decision that curbs ‘pocket veto’ and sets a timeline for governors to act on Bills cleared by legislative Assemblies. It is also a rare instance when the court cleared 10 Bills using its extraordinary powers under Article 142.

Important constitutional provisions related to the Governor

• 1. Article 153 of the Constitution says, “There shall be a Governor for each State.” A few years after the commencement of the Constitution, an amendment in 1956 laid down that “nothing in this article shall prevent the appointment of the same person as Governor for two or more States”.
• 2. Article 155 says that the “Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal”. Under Article 156, “the Governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.”
• 3. Articles 157 and 158 lay down the qualifications of the Governor and the conditions of his office. The Governor must be a citizen of India and should have completed the age of 35 years. The Governor should not be a member of Parliament or a state legislature, and must not hold any other office of profit.
• 4. Article 163 of the Constitution states that the Governor is bound to exercise his functions only after the Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister of a state give their “aid and advice”, unless the Constitution specifically requires him/her to exercise discretion.
• 5. Article 173 of the Constitution grants the Governor the power to summon, prorogue (discontinue) or dissolve the Assembly, the Court held that this can be exercised only after consulting the Council of Ministers.
• 6. The Governor enjoys certain powers under the Constitution like determining the time needed for a party to prove its majority in the state Assembly; or, in cases such as a hung verdict in an election, which party must be called first to prove its majority.

What reforms have been suggested

• From the Administrative Reforms Commission of 1968 to the Sarkaria Commission of 1988, several panels have recommended reforms, such as the selection of the Governor through a panel comprising the PM, Home Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker and the CM, apart from fixing his tenure for five years. Recommendations have also been made for a provision to impeach the Governor by the Assembly.
•  In 2001, the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution set up by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, had noted, “… Because the Governor owes his appointment and his continuation in the office to the Union Council of Ministers, in matters where the Central Government and the State Government do not see eye to eye, there is the apprehension that he is likely to act in accordance with the instructions, if any, received from the Union Council of Ministers… Indeed, the Governors today are being pejoratively called the ‘agents of the Centre’.”

President vs Governor

• The key difference between the governor and the president is in the manner of appointment and removal — whereas the president is elected by the elected representatives of the country, the governor is appointed by the Union government alone. Whereas the president can only be removed by way of impeachment, the governor can be removed from office at the pleasure of the Union government.

Bommai judgment

• Whenever the issue of the role of the governor comes into question, one of the significant cases that comes into sight is the Bommai judgment. It came at a time when the President’s rule was frequently recommended by the Governor to dismiss state governments run by opposition parties under Article 356. This became notable because it was one of the first by the SC to scrutinize the conduct of the Governor’s office in the imposition of presidential rule in the state.
• In the SR Bommai v Union of India case of 1994, the Court unanimously held that the President’s proclamation can be subject to judicial review on grounds of illegality, malafide, extraneous considerations, abuse of power, or fraud. It also laid down the supremacy of the floor test in determining the support enjoyed by the party in power.
• The Supreme Court had said the Governor’s action should be to protect the Constitution and not to promote the political interests of any political party. “Undisputedly, a Governor is charged with the duty to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the laws, has a concomitant duty and obligation to preserve democracy and not to permit the ‘canker’ of political defections to tear into the vitals of the Indian democracy,” it had said, adding that the courts could look into any malafide decision

52 deaths every day: India ranks second in global maternal deaths

• India recorded the second-highest number of maternal deaths in the world in 2023, sharing the position with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a new report released by United Nations agencies.
• Both countries reported around 19,000 maternal deaths, an average of 52 deaths every day.
• The report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, the UN Population Fund, the World Bank, and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, defines maternal deaths as those caused by complications during pregnancy or childbirth.
• An estimated 2.6 lakh women died globally in 2023 due to pregnancy-related complications, as per the report - about one death every two minutes.
• The UN report also warned that recent cuts in humanitarian aid are disrupting critical health services in several countries.
• These include closures of hospitals, shortages of health workers, and supply chain issues affecting access to lifesaving medicines such as treatments for haemorrhage (excessive bleeding from a damaged blood vessel), pre-eclampsia (a pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure and protein in urine), and malaria.
• Nigeria topped the list with nearly 75,000 maternal deaths, accounting for over a quarter, i.e., 28.7% of all maternal deaths worldwide.
• Pakistan was the only other country to report more than 10,000 deaths, at 11,000.
• Together, Nigeria, India, DRC, and Pakistan made up nearly half of all global maternal deaths in 2023.
• In contrast, China, which has a population size comparable to India''s, reported just 1,400 maternal deaths last year.
• Most maternal deaths, the report said, are preventable. The leading causes include haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, infections, and unsafe abortions.
• Chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease also increase risks for pregnant women.
• India’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR), the number of maternal deaths per 1 lakh live births, has dropped significantly, from 362 in 2000 to 80 in 2023. This marks a 78% decline.
• Similarly, China’s MMR dropped from 56 to 16 over the same period, the report revealed.
• Globally, maternal deaths fell by 40% from 2000 to 2023, mostly due to improved access to health services.However, progress has slowed sharply since 2016.
• Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said while there has been progress, pregnancy remains dangerous for many women across the world. “Solutions exist, but they are not reaching those who need them most.

The silent epidemic: One in five Indians facing severe vitamin D deficiency

• A meta-analysis by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) suggests that one in five Indians suffers from extremely low levels of vitamin D.
• While the incidence of vitamin D deficiency is rising in the country, the widespread health crisis is affecting all age groups, prompting immediate attention from the government and the public.
• Researchers from ICRIER have found that extreme levels of vitamin D deficiency in India, especially in the Eastern region, where the prevalence goes up to 38.81%.
• In India, the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is generally 400-600 IU (international units) for most adults and 400 IU for infants, with older adults potentially needing 800 IU.
• Urban residents, women, children, and the elderly are the most vulnerable.
• While sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D, many urban Indians are not getting enough sun.
• Researchers pointed to factors like air pollution, high-rise buildings, indoor work culture, and the widespread use of sunscreen have drastically reduced the body''s ability to naturally produce vitamin D.

"HEALTH EFFECTS: MORE THAN JUST WEAK BONES

• Vitamin D is crucial for maintaining strong bones and immunity. Its deficiency can lead to rickets in children, osteomalacia (bone softening) in adults, muscle weakness and fatigue, higher risk of depression, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
• Rickets is a common disease in Indian children that causes bones to become soft and weak, leading to skeletal deformities.
• Doctors warn that without timely intervention, the deficiency could contribute to a spike in preventable diseases and increase pressure on the already burdened healthcare system.
• In fact, at the launch event of the meta-analysis, Dr. B. Sesikeran, Former Director, National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), explained how high particulate matter and inflammation are major roadblocks in adsorption of vitamin D in the India, apart from adequate sunlight and nutrition.
• Dr. Sesikeran described vitamin D deficiency as a lifestyle-related disease and said it has largely gone unnoticed, as government efforts have focused more on anaemia and other micronutrient deficiencies.
• "Since dietary sources are minimal, supplementation and fortification become a way forward. Clarity even on these interventions is lacking with a multitude of recommendations from RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) levels to mega doses,"
• A Several social and economic barriers are making the problem worse: limited sun exposure due to modern urban lifestyles, lack of fortified foods—essential staples like rice and wheat are not commonly fortified with vitamin D, dietary challenges such as vitamin D-rich foods like fatty fish, eggs, and fortified milk are either costly or not widely consumed.
• Besides this, expensive testing and supplements are major cause of low vitamin D levels.
• Private laboratory tests cost over Rs 1,500, and supplements range from Rs 48–130 for 10 tablets, unaffordable for many. The GST (Good and Services Tax) of 18% on supplements further limits access to get proper nutrition.
• Cultural and skin tone factors like darker skin tones and clothing practices reduce sun absorption, the researchers of the meta-analysis found.
• Only 8-14% of Indians meet the recommended dairy consumption. The daily recommended level being
• India also has no national program to specifically target this deficiency, the study found.
• The researchers highlighted that rising obesity rates, a major healthcare burden on India is also impairing vitamin D metabolism, making supplementation less effective. Rising metabolic disorders worsen the problem.

The study’s authors recommended a nine-point policy plan to combat the growing deficiency:

• A Stronger partnerships across ministries.
• A national strategy targeting high-risk groups.
• A public awareness campaign: "Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharat."
• Mandatory food fortification, especially through the Public Distribution System.
• Wider supplementation, especially for pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
• Affordable testing and supplements, including local production of test kits.
• Increased funding and research for sustainable solutions.
• Better data collection to track vitamin D levels.
• A national task force to align efforts from the government, industry, and international bodies.
• “India needs a roadmap like the iodized salt success, mandatory fortification, subsidies, and public campaigns,” said Deepak Mishra, Director & Chief Executive, ICRIER.

New magnetic nanoparticles may help treat Cancer

• An efficient magnetic system has been developed with newly systhesised nanocrystalline cobalt chromite magnetic nanoparticles that can treat cancer by increasing temperature  of tumour cells through a procedure called magnetic hyperthermia for treating cancer.
• Cancer has been considered as one of the most threatening diseases for humanity. Of several available treatment methods, the most effective treatments for cancerous cells are radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and stem cell transplant. All of the cancer treatment methods have demonstrated multiple side effects.
• Chemotherapy and radiation treatments can lead to nausea, exhaustion, hair loss, and an elevated risk of infection.
•  Although targeted medicines have demonstrated efficacy, they may not be appropriate for all cancer forms and may require following specific conditions. Most cancer treatments are costly and hence may be inaccessible to many.  
• Nanomagnets have opened up a targeted heat generation process (hyperthermia) that can be used in treating cancer cells with comparatively less side effects and is controlled by the magnetic field from outside. Tuning the physical properties of nanomagnets is essential to make them usable for hyperthermia applications.
•  Due to the direct impact of various physical parameters of nanomagnets on the self-heating efficacy, it is challenging to create and control biofriendly coated magnetic nanoparticles with an effective heat generation efficiency.
• A team of scientists from Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India led by Prof. Devasish Chowdhury in collaboration with NIT Nagaland synthesized nanocrystalline cobalt chromite magnetic nanoparticles with varying rare-earth Gd dopant contents using the conventional chemical co-precipitation route.
• These magnetic nanoparticles'' inhomogeneous in fluid form was used further to generate heat under the applied alternating magnetic field subjection.
• The heat generation method of magnetic nanoparticles can be used in treating cancer cells by elevating the cell temperature up to 46^oC for a specific duration, causing necrosis in the injured cells when applied to particular cancer locations.
• Thus, superparamagnetic nanoparticles act as nano-heaters and can potentially be utilized in magnetic hyperthermia applications for treating cancer and offering alternative cancer therapy.

Cabinet approves Rs 1,600 crore for modernisation of irrigation infrastructure under PMKSY

• The Union Cabinet gave its approval for the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). This initiative, with an initial outlay of Rs. 1600 crore, is set to run for the period 2025-2026 and is designed to significantly enhance the irrigation infrastructure in India.
• The primary goal of M-CADWM is to modernize the irrigation water supply network, ensuring that irrigation water reaches the designated farming clusters from existing canals or other water sources.
•  This will help farmers, particularly those engaged in small-scale farming, by improving water efficiency through the use of advanced technologies such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies will assist in better water accounting and management, directly contributing to increased Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at the farm level.
• A key feature of the M-CADWM scheme is the implementation of underground pressurized piped irrigation systems, extending up to 1 hectare per farm. This infrastructure will be developed to enhance micro-irrigation practices, enabling farmers to use water more effectively and ultimately increasing agricultural production and productivity.
• In addition to modernizing the irrigation systems, the scheme aims to build sustainable farming practices. It proposes the Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) to Water User Societies (WUS), empowering these communities to manage irrigation assets independently.
•  To ensure long-term success, these societies will receive handholding support for the next five years, helping them connect with economic entities like Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) or Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS). This linkage will further strengthen their economic position and promote sustainable water management practices.
• The M-CADWM scheme also seeks to make agriculture more appealing to youth by encouraging the adoption of modern irrigation techniques, creating new opportunities for young people in the agricultural sector. This is expected to boost youth engagement in farming and improve overall agricultural practices across the country.

 10 years of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana

• The Ministry of Finance marked the 10th anniversary of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) on April 8.
• With over Rs 33.65 lakh crore sanctioned to more than 52 crore MUDRA  loan accounts, the scheme has proved to be an important milestone in giving wings to the aspirations of entrepreneurs, particularly those belonging to marginal sections of society.
• Since 2015, Rs 11.58 lakh crore worth of MUDRA loans have been sanctioned to various marginalised communities belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs.
• Nearly 70 per cent of the total MUDRA loan accounts have been sanctioned to women, becoming a tool for empowerment and enabling women to national economic growth, and inspire the next generation of female entrepreneurs. 

What is Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana?

• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), an important aspect of financial inclusion,  is enabling the flow of credit to small businesses. In pursuance of the announcement in the Union Budget 2015-16, the Micro Units Development Finance Agency (MUDRA) Ltd was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Small Industries Development bank of India (SIDBI).
• PMMY was launched on April 8, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate easy collateral-free micro-credit of up to Rs 10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm small and micro-entrepreneurs for income-generating activities.
• In the Union Budget 2024-25, the government announced an increase in the loan limit to Rs 20 lakh.
• These loans are given by commercial banks, regional rural banks (RRBs), Small Finance Banks, Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
• Under the aegis of PMMY, MUDRA has created products namely, ‘Shishu’, ‘Kishore’ and ‘Tarun’ to signify the stage of growth or development and funding needs of the beneficiary micro unit or entrepreneur.
• i) Shishu: covering loans up to Rs 50,000.
• ii) Kishor: covering loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh.
• iii) Tarun: covering loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh.
• iv) Tarun Plus: Covering loans above Rs 10 lakh and up to Rs 20 lakh for those entrepreneurs who have availed and successfully repaid previous loans under the ‘Tarun’ category. 
• With an objective to promote entrepreneurship among the new generation aspiring youth, it is ensured that more focus is given to Shishu category loans followed by Kishore and Tarun categories.
• Within the framework and overall objective of development and growth of micro enterprises sector under Shishu, Kishore and Tarun, the products being offered by MUDRA are designed to meet requirements of different sectors/business activities.
• Loans under PMMY are provided to meet both term loan and working capital components of financing for income generating activities in manufacturing, trading and service sectors, including activities allied to agriculture such as poultry, dairy, beekeeping, etc. 
• The rate of interest is decided by lending institutions in terms of RBI guidelines. In case of working capital facility, interest is charged only on money held overnight by the borrower.

How PMMY helps in financial inclusion?

• Implementation of financial inclusion programme in the country is based on three pillars — ‘Banking the Unbanked’, ‘Securing the Unsecured’ and ‘Funding the Unfunded’. 
• ‘Funding the Unfunded’, is reflected in the financial inclusion programme through Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), which is being implemented with the objective to provide access to credit for small entrepreneurs. 
• PMMY focuses on the financial needs of all stakeholders, ranging from budding entrepreneurs to the hard-working farmers, through various initiatives of the scheme.
• It is a key initiative towards providing financial support to the marginalised and hitherto socio-economically neglected classes, PMMY has given wings to the dreams and aspirations of millions.

PMMY enables businesses in smaller towns

• Micro enterprises constitute a major economic segment in our country and provide large employment after agriculture.
• This segment includes micro units engaged in manufacturing, processing, trading and services sector. It provides employment to nearly 10 crore people. Many of these units are proprietary/ single ownership or own account enterprises and many a time referred to as Non-Corporate Small Business sector.
• MSMEs play a vital role as ancillary units, complementing large industries and significantly contributing to the country’s inclusive industrial growth. These enterprises are continually expanding their presence across various sectors of the economy, offering a diverse array of products and services to meet both domestic and international market demands.
• The availability of credit for MSMEs has seen consistent growth, driven by advancements in technology and data-driven lending practices. 
• Since the launch of PMMY in 2015, Tamil Nadu has recorded the highest disbursal among states at Rs 3.23 lakh crore. Uttar Pradesh follows with Rs 3.14 lakh crore, while Karnataka ranks third with Rs 3.02 lakh crore. West Bengal and Bihar have also seen significant disbursals of Rs 2.82 lakh crore and Rs 2.81 lakh crore respectively.
• Among Union Territories, Jammu & Kashmir leads with a total disbursal of Rs 45,815.92 crore.
• The SBI report highlights a significant rise in credit flow to MSMEs, driven by Mudra’s impact. MSME lending surged from Rs 8.51 lakh crore in FY14 to Rs 27.25 lakh crore in FY24, and is projected to cross Rs 30 lakh crore in FY25. 
• The share of MSME credit in total bank credit increased from 15.8 per cent in FY14 to nearly 20 per cent in FY24, showcasing its growing role in the Indian economy. This expansion has enabled businesses in smaller towns and rural areas to access financial support that was previously unavailable, strengthening India’s self-reliant economy and driving grassroots job creation.
• A telescopic view of total loans sanctioned and disbursed under PMMY reveals that the scheme has been well received by a diverse base of intended beneficiaries, thereby strengthening the economic influence of the bottom of the pyramid.
• The average ticket size of loans has nearly tripled, rising from Rs 38,000 in FY16 to Rs 72,000 in FY23, and further to Rs 1.02 lakh in FY25. It reflects growing economies of scale and a deepening of both market depth and width.
• Furthermore, loan disbursal rose by 36 per cent in FY23, indicating a strong revival of entrepreneurial confidence across the country

De-extinction’: Has an American company brought the dire wolf back from the dead?

• United States-based bioscience company on Monday claimed that it had revived an extinct species of animal, the dire wolf, made famous by the Game of Thrones TV series.

The dire wolf

• Dire wolves (Aenocyon dirus) were large canines that dominated southern Canada and the US before they went extinct about 13,000 years ago. They resembled the grey/ gray wolves (Canis lupus) of today, but were larger, with white coats. A dire wolf could be 3.5 feet tall, more than 6 feet in length, and weigh up to 68 kg.
• Dire wolves hunted horses, bison, and possibly mammoths. When many of those prey species became extinct — probably partly due to human hunters — the dire wolf may have also gone extinct.
• The company has reported the birth of three genetically modified grey wolf pups, which it claims are “functional copies of something that used to be alive”, that is, dire wolves.
• Two male pups, Romulus and Remus, were born to surrogate dog mothers in October, and a female called Khaleesi — named after a character in Game of Thrones — was born in January.

‘De-extinction’ process

• Scientists contacted museums and laboratories for dire wolf specimens and got access to a tooth thought to be about 13,000 years old, and a 72,000-year-old skull.
• “Inside the skull is the petrous, or inner ear bone, which is a good source of well-preserved DNA,” .Colossal’s chief science officer.
• From these two specimens, Shapiro and her team were able to recover enough DNA to create two dire wolf genomes — an organism’s complete set of genetic information. They then compared these genomes to those of other canid species, including coyotes, jackals, dholes, and other wolves.
• “Using the genetic data, researchers could confirm the grey wolf as the closest living relative of the dire wolf — they share 99.5% of their DNA code,” the USA Today report said.
• The scientists then used gene editing to make 20 unique edits to 14 genes in the grey wolf genome. Of those, 15 were meant to reproduce extinct dire wolf gene variants such as a light-coloured coat, hair length, coat patterning, body size and musculature.
• Subsequently, fertilised “dire wolf” eggs were implanted into surrogate dog mothers.